USAF Patch Recon s y Sqn b 99 RS Reconnaissance Squadron U 2 b

USAF Patch 99 RS Reconnaissance Squadron Toward The Unknown Patch U 2R Dragon Lady Beale AB Worldwide Dets and OLs 1990s Embroidered on twill cut edge 112mm by 88mm four and three eigth inches by three and seven eighth inches.

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Wing History 

99 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron was activated on 25 June 1966 equipped with SR 71 Blackbird at Beale AB assigned to 9 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing on its replacement of 4200 SRW. Following training the Squadron became mission ready with the Blackbird in March 1967 and deployed to Kadena AB Okinawa and began flying classified operational high altitude missions over North Vietnam and the Chinese border gathering photographic electronic signals intelligence SIGINT SAC target information and monitored the Ho Chi Min Trail supply routes from North Vietnam through Laos and Cambodia to South Vietnam. Despite the SR 71s speed and operating altitude crews risked their lives daily to obtain the latest and best reconnaissance data. 99 SRS was inactivated on 1 April 1971.  

99 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron was reactivated at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield Thailand on 1 November 1972 equipped with U 2 Dragon Lady high altitude reconnaissance aircraft DC 130s and CH 3s assigned to 100 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing attached to 17 Air Division Provisional. The Squadron carried out classified missions over Southeast Asia until 30 June 1976. 

On 1 July 1976 the U 2R equipped 100 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Davis-Monthan AFB AZ was inactivated and its aircraft redesignated as 99 Strategic  Reconnaissance Squadron and was reassigned to 9 SRW at Beale AFB rejoining 1 Strategic  Reconnaissance Squadrons SR 71s. 9 SRW also received from 100 SRW further permanent Detachments Dets and temporary Operating Locations OLs around the world with Osan AB Korea as OL A and Detachment 2 from 1976 RAF Akrotiri Cyprus OL Olive Harvest and Det 3 from 1976 RAF Mildenhall England OL and Det 4 from 1976 Patrick AFB FL Operating Location LF and Det 5 from 1976 USAF Plant 42 Palmdale CA Det 6 Maintenance. 99 SRS deployed its U 2Rs and crews to the Detachments and OLs on a rotational basis carrying out classified high altitude strategic reconnaissance missions throughout the Cold War. The Squadron undertook operational missions to provide extensive reconnaissance during Operations Urgent Fury and Just Cause and became the sole manned high altitude reconnaissance platform on the retirement of the SR 71 Blackbird in 1990. 

99 Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron immediately deployed to Saudi Arabia and flew its first missions on 19 August 1990 just 17 days after Iraq invaded Kuwait. During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm the Squadron provided vital reconnaissance on the positions and movement of Iraqi troops. 99 SRS was redesignated 99 Reconnaissance Squadron on 1 September 1991. The Squadron has provided detailed photographic electronic signals intelligence SIGINT from its rotational Detachments and OLs to support most operations since including Operation Iraqi Freedom Balkan Kosovo operations Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa and Libya. Since 1997 detached elements overseas are designated 99 ERS Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron when deployed. 

This patch dates from the 1990s.